Warlow’s reaction to Sookie’s announcement: He slaps her hard. After waiting thousands of years to claim Sookie as his own, Warlow is definitely past the dating stage.

Vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) knows Sookie’s about to lose her mortal soul, but he’s reluctant to act until prodded by Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll). Bill lost his godlike abilities after his subjects nearly drained him of blood, however, so he can’t take on powerful Warlow alone.

Bill and company manage to free Sookie, but Warlow tracks her down at home. Fortunately for everyone except Warlow, Sookie’s faerie grandfather Niall (Rutger Hauer) emerges from another dimension. He grabs Warlow from behind so Jason can finish him with a wooden stake.

When Warlow disintegrates into a bloody mess, vampires who drank his blood can no longer survive in the sun. This is especially problematic for Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard), who’s nude sunbathing on a snowy mountaintop. He screams and catches fire!

The episode flashes forward six months to reveal that Sookie has a new boyfriend: hunky werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello). Vampire James (Luke Grimes) is singing in a band, and Jessica’s trying to make amends for accidentally killing three of Andy’s faerie daughters.

As for Bill, he’s on TV promoting his new book, “And God Bled,” detailing how vampires defeated Gov. Truman Burrell (Arliss Howard) and liberated his notorious Vamp Camp. The book amounts to an “irrevocable confession” that he murdered the governor, but Bill isn’t worried about jail time.

“What jury would convict me?” Bill asks. He points out that the governor waged an illegal war against vampires, even poisoning them with his insidious creation: hepatitis V. Consequently there are mobs of hungry, diseased vampires in search of fresh human blood.

Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell), who’s now mayor of Bon Temps, has a solution for rogue vampires. He wants humans to form monogamous relationships with healthy vampires, exchanging blood for protection.

Some townfolk are repulsed by the plan, of course. But that’s not the case for preacher’s wife Lettie Mae Daniels (Adina Porter), who reaches out to her estranged vampire daughter Tara (Rutina Wesley).

“Let me nourish my baby girl,” she says, wanting to make amends for neglecting Tara over the years. Tara at first refuses the offer of blood, but soon her fangs come out. A happy family once more!

Bill also wants to atone for his misdeeds, offering protection to the lovely Ms. Stackhouse.

“I’ve changed, Sookie. I can be trusted again,” he assures her. She’s not buying it, however.

But wait, what’s that smell? It’s a motley herd of infected vamps headed for Bon Temps! Will the town survive? Will Sookie and Bill rekindle their romance? Will Eric recover from his sunburn?

We won’t know until next year, when “True Blood” returns for its seventh season.